UN to vote Monday on rejecting Trump's Jerusalem declaration

UN Security Council advances proposed resolution to reject US recognition of Jerusalem, to hold vote on Monday.

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David Rosenberg, 17/12/17 21:14 | updated: 21:23

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The United Nations Security Council will vote on Monday on a proposed resolution rejecting American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city.

The proposal was introduced by Egypt, one of 10 non-permanent members of the council. The Palestinian Authority urged Arab states to push for the measure following President Trump’s announcement recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and ordering the State Department to begin work relocating the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

On Saturday, Egypt circulated a draft of the proposed resolution to the representatives of the 15-member council.

According to Reuters, the one-page proposal does not name either the United States or the Trump administration, but would declare “null and void” all actions ‘to alter the character of Jerusalem.

The draft proposes that "any decisions and actions which purport to have altered, the character, status or demographic composition" of Jerusalem would "have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council."

It is widely expected that the United States delegation, one of five permanent members with veto power, will block the measure from passing.

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon slammed the proposed resolution Saturday evening, calling it an attempt to “reinvent history”.

"In these days, when the Jewish nation is celebrating when Jerusalem was liberated thousands of years ago, the Palestinians continue to try and reinvent history," Danon said.

"No vote or discussion will change the clear facts: Jerusalem is and has always been the capital of Israel. This time, too, we will continue to defend our historical truth, together with our allies."